Wrist watch strap



Patented June 4, 1946 UN l-T-ED .STATES @WRIST WATCH STRAP William' Forstner, Irvington,

N. J., assignor to .lorstner Chain Corporation, a corporation of Newl Jersey Applicationecember 29, 1944, Serial. No. 570,398

(Cl. 24-265)V 3 Y Claims. l.

v"The present invention relates to the bracelet art, and has particular. reference to extension bracelets for wrist watches.

The ,principal object of the invention is to provide an improved clasp construction for an extension-bracelet of theoverlying type.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clasp construction particularly suitable for eX- tension` bracelets of the overlying type having openV orA frame links.

Still: anotherobject of the invention is topro'- vide a clasp construction which positively locks the extension bracelet againstv accidental or inadvertent opening. Y

Additional objects of the invention are to provide clasp parts which are strong and sturdy and cannot become broken orloose with ordinary use, and which are readily manufacturedfrom sheet stock, whereby ornamentation isfacilitated and manufacturing costs are reduced.

Withthe above and other objects and advantageous features in View, the invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed inthe detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and more specifically defined' in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig; l is a plan view of an extension bracelet which embodiesthe. nove1 clasp construction;

Fig. 2 is a detail thereof showing the clasp in open position;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of Fig. 2, the clasp being in closed position;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the clasp; and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3 showing the interlocking engagement of the clasp and bracelet parts.

It has been found desirable to provide a clasp construction for an extensible bracelet of the open link type, which has a very ornamental appearance, and which positively locks the bracelet parts together against accidental or inadvertent release. To this end, I provide a clasp construction for one end of the bracelet which utilizes a base plate adapted to hook over one of the open links of the other end of the bracelet, and which has a hinged cover movable to lock the selected open link within the clasp.

Referring to the drawing, the extension bracelet is designated I0, :and has a plurality of open or frame type links II hingedly joined togetherby connector links I2 which are rolled over the frame sides, whereby a hinge connection providing great freedom of movement and flexibility is obtained. The spacing of the frame links and the relative Y f2 width of the connector links are designed to Vprovide openings or recesses I3 between the adjacent connector links.

'I'hefbraceletincludes a lower part I4 which has a watch bail .receiving link I5 at onev end and an end loop I6 at the other end,rthe second part'Il of the bracelet extendingthrollgh the end loop to overlie the part I4. fThesecond orupper part I'I.L

has a watch' bail link I3 "at oneend and a clasp I 9 at the other end adapted to releasably engage a selectedportion of the lower part I4.

The novel clasp I9, see Fig. 2, includes a base plate 20 whichis hingedly connected as indicated atr2 I to the forward Dart I l, andV has a portion of the upper'bracelet terminalA hoo-k 22 adapted to be selectively hookedV over Aa connector link I 2 for obtaining the desired length adjustment of the bracelet and a central openingl 23 provided with a snap lug 2:3.at its forward edge. YHingedly mounted on the base plate I9;is a cover plate 25 of a length slightly 'greater than the length of the b'ase'plate, which is provided with a forward terminal yhook 26 adapted plate hook 22..,for snapping engagement and a depending detent -2'I which is adapted to extend through the'opening A23v to lock the selected con"l nector link-betweenl the base plate hook and the` detentfthe detent having a central opening or recess l28 into which'the snap-lug, 24 snaps to engagea resilient'crossrod 29'after the cover plate is pressed down on the base plate. The cover plate is also provided with a rear extension lug 30, see Fig. 2, which is bent at right angles to the plane of the cover plate and is adapted to snap over the rear edge of the base plate 2| when the cover plate is fully open, to thus releasably retain the cover plate in full open position. The cover plate is also provided with a finger engageable lift ledge or bar 3I for facilitating manual lifting by means of a fingernail or the like. All the clasp parts are preferably stamped out of sheet metal, but may be made of any suitable material.

When it is desired to secure the bracelet parts together for adjusting the length of the bracelet or for positioning, the bracelet on the wrist, the base plate terminal hook 22 is passed over a selected connector link of the lower bracelet part. The cover plate 25, which has been retained in open position by the resilient holding action of the lug 30, is snapped forwardly, whereupon the detent 21 passes through the opening 23 of the base plate and into the opening I3 of the lower strap which is on the opposite side of the selected connector link; the forward terminal hook 26 of the cover plate snaps over the forward terminal to seat over the base.

hook 22 of the base plate and the snap lug 24 of the base plate snaps past the cross rod 29 of the detent 21. In this position, which is illustrated in Fig. 5, the hooked portions of the base plate and the cover plate extend over one side of the selected connector link and thev detent of the cover plate extends over the opposite side of the same connector link, so as to securely lock the selected connector link within the clasp parts. When it is desired to adjust the bracelet or to remove the bracelet from the wrist, the cover plate is easily be readily modified to provide a clasp arrangee ment suitable for necklace clasps, buckles,V and similar articles, as changes in the shape, size and material used for the parts and in their proportions may be made'to suit the requirements for different clasp designs, without departing from the spirit and thev scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: i

l. A clasp for an extension bracelet having a lower part with an end loop and an upper part extending through the .endloop and overlying the lower part, the lower part having separate links and connector links hingedly connecting the separate links and spaced to provide openings between the connector links, said clasp having a base plate with a terminal hook at one end extending downwardly for connector link, said base plate having an opening therethrough, and a cover plate hingedly connected to the other end of the base plate and having a terminal hook extending downwardly, the length of the cover plate being slightly greater than the length of the base plate to permit snapping engagement of itshook over the base plate hook, said cover plate having a downwardly extending detent adapted to extend through Vthe base plate opening and spacedfrom the cover that the novel clasp hooking over a selectedv plate hook to seat behind the selected connector link.

2. A clasp for an extension bracelet having a lower part with an end loop and an upper part extending through the end loop and overlying the lower part, the lower part having separate links and connector links hingedly connecting the separate links and spaced to provide openings between the connector links1 said clasp having a base plate with a terminal hook at one end extending downwardly for hooking over a selected connector link, said base plate having an opening therethrough, and a cover plate hingedly connected to the other end of the base plate and having a terminal hook extending downwardly,

the length of the cover plate being slightly greater than the length of the base plate to permit snapping engagement of its hook over the base plate hook, said cover plate having a downwardly extending detent adapted to extend through the base plate opening and spaced from the cover plate hook to seat behind the selected connector link, the detent and the contiguous edge of the base plate opening having cooperating snap engageable parts.

` 3. A clasp for an extension bracelet having a lower part with an end loop and an upper part extending through the end loop and overlying the lower part, the lower part having. separatenlinks and connector links hingedly connecting the separate links and spaced to provide openings between the connector links, said clasp having'a base plate with a terminal hook at one end extending downwardly for hooking over a yselected connector link, said base plate having an opening therethrough, and a cover plate hingedly connected to the otherrend of the base plate and having a terminal hook extending downwardly,

the length of the cover plate being slightly greater than the length of the base plate to permit snapping engagement of its hook over the base plate hook, said cover plate having a downwardly extending detent adapted to extend through the base plate opening and spaced from the coverv plate hook to seat behind the selected connector link, the detent having a recess and the cover plate having a snap lug engageable with the detent recess. v y

WILLIAM FORSTNER.. 

